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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 149, No. 20
20 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
December 12, 2019
(USPS 065-020)
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www.bridgton.com
95¢
Shared coverage, starting point? By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Although there is more data to review, contract language to be revised and a few more questions likely to be posed, the idea of the Bridgton Police Department providing service to neighboring Harrison picked up positive steam Tuesday. Gathered around the table, officials from both towns along with BPD Chief Rick Stillman and Sgt. TJ Reese engaged in a freeflowing conversation as to the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal.
Listening in the audience were County Commissioner Sue Witonis along with two Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office representatives. As the workshop neared its conclusion, officials started to expand their thought process, wondering if there might be other areas the two towns could partner, thus reducing duplication and ultimately save taxpayers’ money? “Things aren’t getting any cheaper,” Bridgton Board Chairman Lee Eastman said. “So, we have
to find ways to keep costs down and this might be one way. If this works, I hope we can do this more often.” Right now, the focus is on police coverage. Harrison is currently on a yearly contract with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, which the town pays over $124,000 to gain the services of a “local” deputy for 40 hours per week. The town purchases a cruiser every four years. The one that is retired often becomes a Town of Harrison vehicle, Pellerin noted. If Harrison contracts
with BPD, the cruiser would be purchased by BPD, outfitted (costs to Harrison) and be part of the BPD fleet (including “Bridgton Police” on the doors). One advantage of moving to BPD coverage, Harrison Town Manager Tim Pellerin and Selectman Rick Sykes noted, would be a more “random” law enforcement presence, as well as closer proximity, both from a response standpoint and administratively. Bridgton selectmen were eager to hear data and comCOVERAGE, Page 3A
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Lon Walters sees Bridgton as an ideal location for a senior housing project. The one stumbling block — land to build it on. Two years ago, the owner of Woodland Senior Living thought he had a site nailed down, but it fell through. Just recently, Walters had a site on his radar, but due to environmental concerns (vernal pools), he is back to the search phase. Walters is not giving up. Working with new Community Development
Director Linda LaCroix, Walters gave selectmen an overview Tuesday night. A provider in Maine since 1980, Woodland Senior Living has 15 facilities located in seven Maine cities — the most recent is a new development in Madison, just over the Skowhegan line. The housing projects all vary. Some locations include memory care, assisted living and apartments (the complex includes various amenities and services). Other locations offer just memory care or a combination of
memory care and assisted living. Walters says his company employs over 400 people full time, and serves almost 700 residents. “What we do is unique. Most providers that do what we do are 100% private pay…We’re different. Our mix is about 60% Maine Care, 40% private pay,” he said. “They are expensive facilities. A lot of people have limited savings/funds. If we didn’t have Maine Care beds available, they would be displaced. We’re in a better position to serve
them than other facilities.” Walters’ original plan for Bridgton was to build a multi-level facility with all three components — 44 memory care, 50 assisted living, 40 apartments (restaurant style dining, other amenities, provide services, aging in place type of apartment complex), and possibly some cottages on the same campus. This project would require about 25 acres, depending if all good land. “The deal did not come to fruition. We thought we SELECTMEN, Page 3A
‘Senior’ facility could land here
Crooked River School
Board waives buffer, parking
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — Nine months ago, the residents of the towns belonging to School Administrative District (SAD) 61 voted in favor of renovating the Crooked River School at the cost of $9 million. There is still some voting to be done since the site plan application for renovating the school has to come before the planning board in the Town of Casco, where the school is located. On Monday, the Casco Planning Board deemed the Crooked River School renovation application to be complete and approved two waivers. One waiver allows for smaller parking spaces. The reason for this request was based mostly on a desire to use the existing parking lot and not lose field space but also because more people are driving compact vehicles. The second waiver would WAVES TO THE CROWD lining Main Street during Saturday’s Festival of reduce the 25-foot buffer Lights parade in Bridgton. More photos on Page 2A and a recap by parade orgarequired by Casco’s ordinance. nizer and Bridgton Rec Director Gary Colello. (Rivet Photos) PROJECT, Page 4A
Casco fill violation unresolved
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — The paperwork, the civil engineering plan, arrived too late to be reviewed. So, the Casco Planning Board had no choice but to table an amended site plan that deals with a fill violation. The property at 200 Roosevelt Trail, which is owned by Wayne Ward, has been illegally filled. Per town ordinance, any project which has more than 100 cubic yards of fill must come before the
planning board. This summer, the town issued a notice of violation and started the process for a stop work order. On Monday, the Casco Planning Board requested that the landowner put together a list that includes how many cubic yards of fill was put in and/or how many square feet or acres were filled. Furthermore, a plan for the storm water and a compromised septic system is on the list. The code enforcement office is working on the complete list of required information this week. That list
will be presented to Ward who has been requested to turn in that information to the town hall three weeks before the planning board meeting. (The deadline for the January meeting is Dec. 23, which is right around the corner. In order to be on the agenda for the regularly scheduled Feb. 10, 2020, meeting, Ward would have to compile and submit documentation by mid-January.) On Monday, the planning board had a full agenda with three other site plan applications. Ward’s property was
listed last on the agenda. Ward stepped to the microphone to explain the changes to the site plan, which was approved about 10 years ago in 2009. It wasn’t long before board members realized, the documents Ward kept referring to had not been in their packets. Ward blamed the missed deadline on the difficulty in hiring an engineer. Then, Casco Town Planner Jim Seymour asked Ward several questions before narrowing down the request for appropriate information. FILL, Page 4A
ONE MAN SHOW — Will Rhys of Bridgton will present ‘A Christmas Carol’ this Saturday at the Denmark Arts Center.
Enjoy a laugh with Scrooge
By Wayne E. Rivet A Christmas Carol Staff Writer • Denmark Arts Center Like Charles Dickens, (50 West Main Street) Will Rhys of Bridgton • Saturday, Dec. 14, 7 believes laughter is good p.m. The show is 1 hour, for everyone. 40-45 minutes including “We need to laugh,” intermission the longtime actor said. (Snow date, Dec. 15, 2 Rhys hopes to draw p.m.) more than a few chuckles • Tickets: $12 and up while also putting area • Telephone: 452-2412 residents into the holi• www.denmarkarts.org day spirit this Saturday night with his one-man presentation of “A Christmas Carol” at the Denmark Arts Center. The News caught up with Rhys earlier this week as he prepared for the only showing of the Christmas classic to talk about his career and the DAC show: Q. How did you become interested in acting? Will: The joke was that I was a pre-med student and it came around my junior year when I started thinking about the med boards and schools. I realized this wasn’t going to work for me. The medical profession doesn’t need me. I had been doing some work in the theatre, where I had gone to school, and the professor there encouraged me. My parents were happy. My mother said, ‘Thank God you decided to do this because you were always miserable when you came home for vacation because all you did was study. Now, you come home, there is a person there. There was great support. My mother had done local theatre while I was growing up in Massachusetts. I did a few shows because they needed a child…I’m a bit of a ham. I don’t mind being in front of people. It worked out very well. I’ve done nothing but jobs related to the theater (either teaching it or participating in some way) for my entire life, except one summer when I painted buildings because I had to…I can’t claim that I made a huge amount of money (in theatre), but I can claim to have done nothing but what I have a passion for. You never retire because someone has to play grandpa. I have a very supportive wife (Nancy). Q. How did you move to Bridgton? Will: Nancy’s grandparents had a business here. Her cousins live here. Thus, Nancy has always wanted to retire to Bridgton. I’m not going to argue. It was a bit of a shock, not where I live, but I’ve always lived in cities. Until I met my wife, I never owned a home. I was on the move all the time. I worked in theatres all over the country. Yes, I lived in New York City for a while because it was a base (I did work on Broadway), I was all over the place, even Monmouth (directing some shows at the Shakespeare Festival) before I moved up here in early 2000s (built a home and the family has a camp on Highland Lake). I have the best of everything — a home on the lake, a home in the woods, and a great bunch of friends, which is exciting to be doing this show at Denmark Arts because there is no excuse not to see it. Q. You’re excited about taking the show to Denmark? Will: I am. I’ve done it in Bridgton several times in different places (Bridgton Academy, the middle school). The first time was in the Magic Lantern pub…It’s coming home. It’s the only show I am doing this year. Q. How did you know it was the right decision to focus on theatre? Will: I have been very lucky. When I was in graduate school, a friend of mine called me and said there was a theatre company that is being developed (in Connecticut). It’s a group of deaf actors. They were going to have a school to train actors. They were looking for to teach acrobatics. I was a gymnast. I used that skill to my advantage in many shows that I have done. I was recommended. I said sure. I enjoyed it. I was doing theatre right away, but in a totally new experience (learning sign language). I toured all over SCROOGE, Page 4A
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